Warmth
by celtic7irish
Summary: Just a short little one-shot  less than 1,000 words  of Goku x Gojyo in the wintertime.


For five hundred years, all Goku could remember was heat and cold. The burning heat of the summer that scalded his skin and sent him curling up in a corner of his cage, struggling to stay in the shade as the sun crept through the bars, oftentimes catching a stray limb and burning it. Still, the winters had been far worse, for there was no place to curl up to get warm, no extra clothes or blankets to huddle into, no source of heat except the sun, which seemed cold and impersonal in comparison to the snow that surrounded his prison, too distant to warm his body in the coldest months.

Now, on a journey with Sanzo and the others, he oftentimes complained about the heat. Loudly. He'd complain until Sanzo smacked him upside the head with his harisen, or Gojyo picked a fight with him, calling him 'baka saru' and inviting a smack down in retaliation. But in the summer, at least there was life, and there was warmth, and he had his friends and his guardian with him.

But in the winter, when the snow began to fall, Goku stopped complaining. In fact, he mostly stopped talking altogether, answering in monosyllables when he was asked a question, curled up in a bed or on the floor near a fireplace, as far away from windows and door and snow as he could get. Even his hunger hit an all-time low, and he ate mechanically, not tasting the food put in front of him. Not even Gojyo stealing from his plate could rouse him.

Hakkai watched him with concern on those days, his normal protective nature made more so by Goku's unusual mood. Still, Goku didn't see whereas it was any different than either Sanzo's or Hakkai's aversion to the rain.

Sanzo would watch him over his newspaper sometimes, his lips pursed as he stared at Goku, his glare toned down by worry. Still, he was surprisingly tactful, not hovering or yelling, but preferring to just leave Goku alone until he came around.

Gojyo was the worst, though. He'd prod and poke and jeer at Goku until the smaller youkai would snap, summoning his Nyoibou and smacking him upside the head with it. He'd retreat then, but only for a short while before he was back again, taunting Goku. It was as if he couldn't stay away from their smallest team member when he was in such a depressed state, although teasing him certainly wasn't helping.

But today was different, somehow. Goku's first thought when he woke up was, "I'm hungry." His stomach rumbled, and despite the fact that there was snow outside, he felt warm and comfortable. It was only when he tried to slide out of the bed to hunt for some food that he realized there was a warm arm wrapped around his waist.

The arm, definitely male, pulled him back against a tall, slender body. Silky hair tickled over the back of Goku's neck as his unknown companion burrowed further down, pressing his head against his shoulder blades. "Not time to eat yet, baka saru," a familiar voice mumbled. "Go back to sleep, would ya?"

Goku froze, his golden eyes wide as he recognized Gojyo's voice. The sudden tensing of his body sent pain spasming across his backside and Goku groaned. "Dammit, you perverted kappa! What the hell did you do to me?" he snarled, because he was certain, absolutely positive, that this was all Gojyo's fault.

He felt Gojyo smirk against his back before shifting and pressing a kiss to his shoulder blade. "You don't remember, monkey?" he asked, his voice low and seductive. "You were shivering and miserable. I offered to warm you." Something about his tone opened the floodgates in Goku's mind and he remembered arms wrapped securely around him, warmth covering him from head to toe, flooding him with heat both inside and out.

"Goku? You all right?" Gojyo asked when Goku lay there, not moving. He had obviously expected Goku to attack him by now. Instead, Goku lifted himself up onto his elbow, shivering as cool air hit his exposed skin. Warm hands wrapped around him and pulled him back down, flipping the heavy comforter over them both, but it didn't matter anymore. There was snow outside, but Goku was warm. He had finally found a place where he could be warm, even in the coldest months of winter.

Turning around, the pain all but forgotten, he curled up against Gojyo with a happy sigh, his head tucked neatly under the kappa's chin. "It's warm," he sighed, his breath ghosting across Gojyo's chest. Before Gojyo could reply, Goku was asleep, his face and body relaxed as he cuddled into the warmth that his bedmate had to offer.

Gojyo smiled down at the endearing sight. Goku was beautiful in bed, and absolutely adorable in sleep. Now, if they could just find a way to explain to Hakkai and Sanzo, all would be right. Wrapping his arms firmly around the smaller body curled against him, Gojyo sighed, closing his eyes. "Yeah, warm," he mumbled, before drifting off himself, Goku held protectively in his embrace.


End file.
